THE VELVET UNDEGROUND INCLUDES DEFINITIVE STEREO EDITIONS OF SIX CLASSIC ALBUMS INCLUDING
ALL FOUR STUDIO RECORDS, THE “LOST” 1969 ALBUM AND NICO’S DEBUT LP

Los Angeles – December 20, 2017 – To celebrate the Velvet Underground’s 50th anniversary, Verve Records/UMe is releasing The Velvet Underground, a limited-edition career-spanning box that collects all four of the pioneering band’s studio albums, Velvets collaborator Nico’s debut LP, Chelsea Girl, and a reconstruction of the fabled “lost” 1969 album, making it available on vinyl for the first time. The six albums housed in a special black slipcase will be pressed on 180-gram black vinyl and feature stereo mixes and meticulously reproduced original cover art. The box will also include an exclusive 48-page booklet, featuring vintage photos, lyrics and a new foreword penned by founding member Maureen “Moe” Tucker. Limited to 1000 copies worldwide, the box set, which will be released February 23, is available for pre-order now exclusively at uDiscover:https://UMe.lnk.to/TVULPBox

Assembled by Grammy-winning reissue producer Bill Levenson, The Velvet Undergroundincorporates six classic records from the band’s vintage heyday including 1967’sThe Velvet Underground and Nico, their landmark debut, produced by the band’s mentor Andy Warhol and includes such Velvets classics as “SundayMorning,” “I’m Waiting for the Man,” “Venus in Furs” and “Heroin;”Nico’s 1967 full-length solo debutChelsea Girl, featuring songwriting and instrumental contributions from Velvets members Reed, Cale and Morrison as well as a young Jackson Browne; 1968’s explosive White Light/White Heat, the group’s final album with co-founder Cale; 1969’s relatively restrained, introspective The Velvet Underground; and 1970’s Loaded, which was the band’s commercial breakthrough as well as its final studio album, with such beloved Reed anthems as “Sweet Jane” and “Rock & Roll.”

To honor the band’s half a century legacy, Levenson has loving recreated the Velvet Underground’s much-mythologized “lost” album, 1969, specially for this set. Nearly 50 years later, much remains unclear about these mysterious recordings. While there’s been reports that the album was intended to be the band’s fourth record only to be rejected by MGM, it’s also possible they were scrapped by the band or possibly shelved by them for being ahead of its time. Whatever the real story is, these songs, recorded just after their lauded self-titled album, which include many gems like “Foggy Notion,” “Ride Into The Sun,” and “I Can’t Stand It,” help to tell the band’s enigmatic story and shine a light on their creative restlessness and rapid evolution. For this new vinyl recreation, Levenson has assembled the album using 1969 and 2014 mixes. Although these recordings have been previously released, they’ve never been represented on vinyl in this expansive 2LP format. Side four of the second LP is rounded out with bonus tracks recorded in 1968 including “Hey Mr. Rain” and “Stephanie Says.”

The Velvet Underground’s gritty, fearless creative vision remains unique and unmatched. Although the band met with little commercial acceptance during its existence, the seminal New York foursome of Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison and MaureenTucker, along with Doug Yule, is now considered one of most important rock and roll bands of all time, laying the groundwork in the ‘60s for punk, alternative, avant-garde, psychedelic rock, post-punk and shoegaze. The Velvets’ revolutionary body of work stands as a one of rock’s most distinctive catalogs and today their influence looms larger than ever.

The Velvet Underground and Nico (March 1967)

Side One

SundayMorning

I’m Waiting For The Man

Femme Fatale

Venus In Furs

Run Run Run

AllTomorrow’sParties

Side Two

Heroin

There She Goes Again

I’ll Be Your Mirror

The Black Angel’s Death Song

European Son

Nico: Chelsea Girl (October 1967)

Side One

The Fairest of the Seasons

These Days

Little Sister

Winter Song

It Was A Pleasure Then

Side Two

Chelsea Girls

I’ll Keep It With Mine

Somewhere There’s a Feather

Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams

Eulogy To Lenny Bruce

White Light/White Heat (January 1968)

Side One

White Light/White Heat

The Gift

Lady Godiva’s Operation

There She Comes Now

Side Two

I Heard Her Call My Name

Sister Ray

The Velvet Underground (March 1969)

Side One

Candy Says

What Goes On

Some Kinda Love

Pale Blue Eyes

Jesus

Side Two

Beginning To See The Light

I’m Set Free

That’s The Story Of My Life

The Murder Mystery

After Hours

1969 (recorded May – October 1969)

Side One

Foggy Notion (original 1969 mix)

One Of The Days (2014 mix)

Lisa Says (2014 mix)

I’m Sticking With You (original 1969 mix)

Andy’s Chest (original 1969 mix)

Side Two

I Can’t Stand It (2014 mix)

She’s My Best Friend (original 1969 mix)

We’re Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together (2014 mix)

I’m Gonna Move Right In (original 1969 mix)

Ferryboat Bill (original 1969 mix)

Side Three

Coney Island Steeplechase (2014 mix)

Ocean (original 1969 mix)

Rock & Roll (original 1969 mix)

Ride Into The Sun (2014 mix)

Side Four – Bonus Tracks

Hey Mr. Rain (version one)

Guess I’m Falling In Love instrumental version)

Temptation Inside Your Heart (original mix)

Stephanie Says (original mix)

Hey Mr. Rain (version two)

Beginning To See The Light (early version)

Loaded (November 1970)

Side One

Who Loves The Sun

Sweet Jane

Rock & Roll

Cool It Down

New Age

Side Two

Head Held High

Lonesome Cowboy Bill

I Found A Reason

Train Round The Bend

Oh! Sweet Nuthin’

Advertisements

Share this:

Like this:

Related

I am the author of a number of books, including Southern Crossroads: Georgia Blues, T;Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do, about blues women, The Irish Slaves, a non-fiction work about Irish History, and Haunted Marietta, a nook from the History Press about my hometown of Marietta, GA and its ghosts. I am a member and sponsor of The Atlanta Blues Society.
View All Posts